By guest writer, Dianna Carroll Finding God in the Valley of Widowhood “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation”(Psalm 68:5). Shock and grief engulfed me. My husband had just died. I was alone in a Mexican hospital, far from family and friends, with a thousand unanswered questions racing through my mind. What do I do now? How will I get us home? How can this possibly be happening? One moment, I was a wife. The next, I was a widow. How

One of my favorite Facebook reels captures a moment that always brings tears to my eyes. A baby—not yet a year old—receives a tiny pair of glasses for the first time. Initially, the infant displays a quiet curiosity as the blurry world comes into focus. Then, those precious baby eyes widen with wonder. A smile slowly spreads across the child's face, followed by delighted laughter. Yet the sweetest moment is yet to come. As the baby's vision clears, he suddenly realizes that t

In 1965, the musical group, The Byrds, used lyrics 2,000 years old to create their hit song, “Turn, Turn, Turn.” The lyrics, almost verbatim, are the words that wise King Solomon wrote in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes. To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn) And a time to every purpose, under heaven A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep To everything

Hurt, anger, and thoughts of revenge became his constant companions. The terrible circumstances that led to a stinging, irreversible situation crushed his spirit. How could such injustice happen? He thought his companions were friends. Now, he saw only enemies. The Count of Monte Cristo These emotions were experienced by the protagonist in Alexander Dumas’ novel The Count of Monte Crist

As a young wife, when I read the Bible, I often discovered “perfect” verses to share with my husband when he came home from work. I was convinced that these bits of truth were exactly what my husband needed. One day, in frustration, Alan said, “I wish you would stop beating me over the head with the Bible!” I felt hurt, and honestly, his response shocked me. As I wept and shared my heartaches about my marriage with my mentor and friend, Barbara, she wisely advised, “Linda, s

By guest writer, Brian Romero When Jesus tells the story of the lost sheep, He is not painting a soft, sentimental picture. He is revealing a love that is costly, uncomfortable, and breathtakingly personal. Sheep are not clean animals. They wander. They fall. They get stuck in mud, thorns, and their own waste. A lost sheep is not just scared. It is filthy. Exhausted. Covered in grime. And unable to rescue itself. The dirtiest part of a sheep is its hindquarters. That is whe

A story is told of a man traveling on a train with several unruly children. He sat quietly, seemingly unaware of their behavior. The passenger beside him, a businessman, felt his irritation rise as the noise shattered his hope for a peaceful ride home after a long, demanding day. At last, the businessman gave his frus- tration a voice. “Excuse me. Do you not see that your children are disturbing others? Could you please get them under control?”The man looked up, as though pul

When one of my granddaughters was little, she went through a phase where she would disobey and then, almost immediately, look up with big eyes and say in the sweetest, saddest voice, “I’m sorry, Grandma.” It became a familiar routine—disobedience followed by apology. One day, feeling a bit exasperated, I said, “You can’t keep doing what you know is wrong and then just say you’re sorry. If you really love Grandma, you’ll obey.” She nodded earnestly and promised to do better, b

By Guest Writer, Paula Miller Amanda clears the dinner dishes while her husband rushes off to watch his favorite team on Mon-...

Imagine thirteen dinner guests appearing at your doorstep, famished and road weary. You know they are on their way but aren’t sure of their exact arrival time. Furthermore, your brother may have invited a few other friends, too! All the preparation details combined with the uncertainty of the coming event causes you to feel a bit hurried and frazzled! In the account from Luke 10, this is the dilemma Martha faces. Jesus and his disciples visit His friends Mary, Martha, and L

“Do you think I have what it takes to be a pastor’s wife?” The fear and uncertainty etched in Julie’s voice touched me deeply. She and...

How do we handle unanticipated plot twists arising...

The electric atmosphere in the office caught everyone’s attention. Seated in her cubicle, Jane was the target of the department head’s...

The Surprising Response So many have read my new book, The...

A New Christmas Experience Magnificent angels, stars twinkling, gorgeous Christmas trees, wreaths, toys,...

The following post contains excerpts from a chapter in my new book, The Private Side of Leadership: An Honest Guide for Leader's Wives....

The Private Side of Leadership opens the door to the complex and hidden challenges of life lived alongside a leader. Despite the...

By guest writer, Waldene Drake. For weeks, I’d been watching a woman sitting near me at church. She stood out from other churchgoers; her...

In 1956, the world learned of the horrifying murders of Jim Elliot and his four fellow missionaries as they attempted to evanglelize the...

In an oft-told story, a man embarked on a jungle expedition. As the safari guide painstakingly cleared away obstacles on their path, the...